Featured photo: Galbanum gum (www.jmg-co.com) Galbanum is mentioned in the medicinal works of Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder. Galbanum was one of at least 36 ingredients used by Mithridates (c. 132–163 BC) as medicine. Mithridates VI was a Roman who ruled over...
Photo: Boswellia sacra by Scott Zona The B. sacra (Omani luban) tree is native to Yemen, Oman, and Somalia. It yields the best and most prized frankincense gum. The tree rarely grows taller than 20 feet. It bears whitish yellow flowers. Phytochemical analysis of the...
One of the most well regarded of the ancient incenses, frankincense has a fresh pine-lemon scent with resinous and woody overtones that emanates from the milky white latex of the stem and branches. The name frankincense comes from the French words franc encens, which...
Cymbopogon martinii looks similar to lemongrass. It is a tall grass (1.8 to 2.4 meters) found in wild areas of southern Asian, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and Latin America. It is widely cultivated for its essential oil. The oil was imported from India to...
Cymbopogon citratus is a frost-sensitive perennial with rhizomes and tapering grass-like leaves that grow up 45–60 centimeters long and 10–20 mm wide. It is native to India, Sri Lanka, and the islands of southeastern Asia. Today, India is the major producer of...
